Two years is no brief span, yet no one could have foreseen that Xiao Yan's period of seclusion would last so long. According to the expectations of the elders, such as Yao Lao, Xiao Yan, bolstered by his bodhi mind and bodhi pill, should have found it quite manageable to reach the half-saint level. While the legend that one could instantly become a saint upon fully absorbing the bodhi mind might be slightly exaggerated—after all, any vast and refined energy inevitably requires time to be absorbed—this very fact underscores the exceptional strength of the bodhi mind. Even if it didn't result in immediate sainthood, given Xiao Yan's already accomplished peak of the Ninth Transformation of the Battle Sovereign, he should have been able to break through the barrier within less than a year. Yet the reality fell far short of everyone's expectations. As time passed in the midst of their anticipation, the seasons changed—spring faded and autumn came. The massive stone gate that Xiao Yan had sealed himself behind had long since been cloaked in lush wild grass, and the stone itself was now covered in patches of green moss. By now, this place had become a sanctuary of the Xing Yun Pavilion. Aside from a few occasional visitors, even the pavilion's guest elders were barred from entering. After one year had passed, the crowd gradually suppressed their growing restlessness. No matter how anxious they were, such anxiety could do little to alter the situation. Fortunately, what eased their minds was that the old medic could still sense a remarkably subtle yet strong aura emanating from deep within the mountain body—though faint as a whisper, this aura was not weak, but rather seemed to be entering a state of transformation. Many powerful figures came in quest of fame, especially after the star-gate revealed that the herbal elder could craft the Bodhi Pill. Even some previously reserved, peak-Douzun-tier masters could no longer resist, eventually becoming guest senior elders of the Starfall Pavilion in secret. The allure of the Bodhi Pill was simply too great, compelling them to sacrifice some of their cherished time freedom. Naturally, the herbal elder would not bestow a Bodhi Pill upon these visiting elders at first meeting, and these masters were far from naive—they fully understood that such exceptional favors were rare in the world. Thus, throughout their daily lives, they diligently made contributions to the Starfall Pavilion, hoping to earn the herbal elder’s trust and eventually secure a Bodhi Pill, which would enable them to transcend to the long-sought-after realm. Under this mutually beneficial cycle, the Starfall Pavilion’s strength surged dramatically, now standing as a formidable force in the Central Region, no longer far behind the venerable, long-established power of the Tianming Sect. However, facing the rapid rise in strength and prestige of the Xingyin Pavilion, the Tianming Sect—long harboring grievances with both the Xingyin Pavilion and Xiao Yan—found itself increasingly uneasy. The Tianming Sect had always been assertive, constantly expanding its influence. In the past, the Xingyin Pavilion's reach was relatively limited, and thus, conflicts between the two were minimal. But as the Xingyin Pavilion's influence grew broader and broader, their territories eventually began to converge, inevitably leading to clashes. A seasoned power facing an emerging one naturally resulted in a fiercely competitive dynamic. After a period of intense rivalry, both sides achieved notable victories, neither able to decisively overcome the other. Yet this stalemate did not last long—it was soon shattered when the Tianming Sect unexpectedly announced an alliance with the Binghe Valley, the Fenglei Pavilion, and several other notable sects in the Zhongzhou region, formally establishing the "Minghe Alliance"! This alliance undoubtedly greatly enhanced Tianming Sect's prestige, drawing together numerous powerful figures and catching Xingyin Pavilion off guard, causing its influence to shrink noticeably. Yet, despite this development, the elders—especially Yao Lao—remained calm. Xingyin Pavilion had grown too rapidly; though its reach was broad, it had always been somewhat fragile. This very conflict provided the perfect opportunity for consolidation. They did not seek a corpulent, overextended figure—like the one currently struggling under the weight of his own size. What they needed was a lean, agile leader capable of managing both ends of the operation and delivering decisive, life-ending blows when faced with threats. Thus, while Xingyin Pavilion's influence contracted, Yao Lao and his allies chose not to launch a major counteroffensive but instead maintained a steady retreat. As Xingyin Pavilion withdrew, its defensive lines progressively tightened, strengthening the defenses of the cities behind. Moreover, with several guest scholars from Xingyin Pavilion establishing spatial wormholes in these cities, the vital urban centers were now directly interconnected. Thus, whenever either side faced difficulties, swift support could be dispatched, strengthening the star-ruin pavilion's territorial stronghold like an impregnable fortress. As a result, the "Yinhe Alliance" found it increasingly difficult to achieve significant gains in their offensives, suffering notable losses in the process. This stalemate lasted for several months. Eventually, the Yinhe Alliance had to abandon further advances and gradually withdrew, as their objective of establishing prestige had already been achieved. They were unwilling to engage in a full-scale, face-to-face battle with the Star-Ruin Pavilion, for all knew that should such a conflict truly escalate, the outcome would remain uncertain. Yet, as this great conflict temporarily drew to a close, the reputation of Xingyin Pavilion once again surged to prominence. It was rare in the Central Plains for a single force to stand toe-to-toe against a coalition formed by Tianming Sect and Binghe Valley. To the Minghe Alliance, this development was indeed a source of frustration—though they had secured some territorial gains, it seemed they ultimately ended up lending a helping hand in promoting Xingyin Pavilion's name. Yet recently, powerful beings had discovered that the Li race's spatial realm had once again opened. When these beings went to investigate, they found the Li realm now utterly empty—no traces of life, not even the Li race's descendant populations, which had vanished completely. Standing before this vast, lifeless expanse, the powerful beings were stunned. A cold sensation swiftly rose from their feet to their heads. How extraordinary this was—the Li realm, including its descendants, had surely housed at least a million inhabitants. Now, so many people had simply disappeared without a trace? This news sent ripples of profound shock through the other several clans, prompting each to immediately dispatch its strongest members to the Spiritual Realm. Yet, no matter how diligently they searched, they found not a single trace of the Spiritual Clan—so complete was their disappearance, as though during the period when the spatial veil closed, the entire clan had vanished entirely. Regardless of the circumstances, the disappearance of the Elan race sent ripples across Zhongzhou, prompting constant speculation among various powers regarding the cause of the event. While external parties were confused and making hasty guesses, within the ancient races themselves, a significant rift had emerged. Though these ancient races had a certain level of mutual understanding, they were not true allies—more like rivals with mutual respect, for each had, at their peak of strength, launched attacks against one another, and thus could not be considered a unified bloc. Outsiders were bewildered by the situation, yet they too held their own theories. Long ago, the Eight Ancient Clans had once engaged in a great war, and the root cause of that conflict had been the Jade of the ancient Emperor Tuo She. The legacy of that final Divinity Sovereign, it is said, holds a secret that reached Divinity Sovereign rank. For this very secret, the ancient eight clans once fought fiercely, ultimately dividing the complete Tosheda Divinity Sovereign Jade into eight parts. Thus, whoever wished to claim Tosheda's legacy would have to gather all eight jade fragments. Each clan regarded these jade pieces as more precious than their very lives, and therefore, naturally, would not hand them over without cause. Hence, it is speculated that the current disappearance of the Ling Clan may have been orchestrated by members of the ancient races—specifically, to secure the jade fragment held by the Ling Clan.